The subject matter of the present disclosure broadly relates to the art of gas spring devices and, more particularly, to a gas spring piston that includes an external retention feature capable of receivably engaging and retention on an associated structural component without the use of threaded fasteners or other components that would otherwise extend through the associated structural component. A gas spring assembly and a kit including such a gas spring piston are also disclosed. Additionally, a suspension system including a plurality of gas spring assemblies and a method of installing a gas spring piston are included.
The subject matter of the present disclosure may find particular application and use in conjunction with suspension systems of wheeled vehicles, and may be described herein with specific reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the subject matter of the present disclosure is also amenable to use in a wide variety of other applications and environments, and that the specific uses shown and described herein are merely exemplary. For example, the subject matter of the present disclosure could be used in connection with gas springs associated with support structures, height adjusting systems and/or actuators associated with industrial machinery, components thereof and/or other such equipment.
Wheeled motor vehicles of most types and kinds include a sprung mass, such as a body or chassis, for example, and an unsprung mass, such as two or more axles or other wheel-engaging members, for example, with a suspension system disposed therebetween. Typically, a suspension system will include a plurality of spring devices as well as a plurality of damping devices that together permit the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle to move in a somewhat controlled manner relative to one another. Movement of the sprung and unsprung masses toward one another is normally referred to in the art as jounce motion while movement of the sprung and unsprung masses away from one another is commonly referred to in the art as rebound motion.
Generally, the range of motion of a suspension system extends between a first or fully compressed condition and a second or fully extended condition. To eliminate contact between opposing portions of the sprung and unsprung masses, contact between opposing portions of components of the suspension system or contact between any combination thereof, jounce bumpers are commonly installed on one or more portions of the vehicle to prevent such opposing portions from directly impacting one another. Thus, during jounce motion of the suspension system, an opposing component will contact the jounce bumper rather than impacting the component on or near which the jounce bumper is mounted.
During travel in the opposing direction (i.e., during rebound motion), it is common for the suspension system of vehicles to be adapted and/or otherwise arranged such that there are few operating conditions, during normal usage, under which the plurality of spring devices would be tensioned or otherwise undergo a tension load. Nonetheless, conventional gas spring assemblies are often secured on or along associated structural components using threaded fasteners and other similar securement devices that pass through a hole or opening in the associated structural component to secure an end member of the gas spring assembly thereon. In this manner, the end member of the gas spring assembly is fixedly secured to the associated structural component.
Of course, wheeled motor vehicles travel over roadways during a wide variety of environmental conditions and are subjected to many different substances (e.g., water, salt, dirt). Naturally, components of wheeled motor vehicles occasionally require repair or replacement. In other cases, such components may need to be removed to permit repair or replacement of another, different component and/or system. In either case, threaded fasteners can be difficult to remove after enduring years of such harsh environmental conditions and exposure to extreme temperatures as well as water, salt, dirt and/or other substances. Such difficulty can contribute to increased maintenance and repair costs as well as increased time and effort spent in disassembling vehicle components.
Accordingly, it is believed desirable to develop a gas spring piston that includes external retention features, as well as a gas spring assembly and suspension system including the same, that may be capable of overcoming the foregoing and/or other disadvantages.